John McCusker/The Times-Picayune archiveMandeville Councilman Jerry Coogan says the audit committee would not be accountable to Mandeville voters.

Mandeville Councilman Jerry Coogan wants to disband an audit committee formed after a state review found abuses by former Mayor Eddie Price and other city officials, arguing that the board would act as an unnecessary and unacountable investigative entity that would usurp the council's responsibilities.

Coogan, who plans to introduce an ordinance repealing an earlier measure that established the committee, said he objects to an as-yet unapproved charter that gives the committee the ability to take on investigative tasks and lays out a broad set of goals and responsibilities for the board.

"I don't feel comfortable giving that authority to a committee that's not accountable to the voters of Mandeville," said Coogan, who is one of the three councilmembers on the committee, which also includes five residents. "The city charter mandates that the City Council have responsibility for the audit function, and not delegate that function."

Though Coogan appears to have support from other councilmembers for his ordinance, Councilwoman Trilby Lenfant said eliminating the committee would be a "step backward for Mandeville."

"I supported it then, I support it now and I can't understand why anyone would not want to see it happen," Lenfant said.

John McCusker/The Times-PicayuneCouncilwoman Trilby Lenfant said eliminating the committee would be a 'step backward for Mandeville.'

The committee was established in the wake of a report by the state Legislative Auditor that revealed a variety of transgressions by Price. The report found that Price used city credit cards for thousands of dollars in personal expenses, sought about $55,000 in reimbursement for meals without proper documentation and used a city account to pay for gas on out-of-state vacations.

The City Council, which set aside $27,000 for the committee to contract with a professional auditor in its work, has not yet approved the committee's charter and the board has not yet begun any audits. Under the charter, the committee would be able to have the auditor review the city's financial activities, operational procedures and determine whether it was in compliance with regulations.

Like other bodies in the state, Mandeville has an external auditing firm produce an annual financial audit. However, that review is general and not intended as an in-depth investigation.

In the case of Mandeville, those reviews did not turn up Price's abuses, which have since led to federal charges.

Coogan said he initially supported the idea of an audit committee that would serve in an advisory role, pointing out areas that the annual financial review could be improved. But the charter proposed by the committee attempts to extend its scope "far beyond the scope of the original intent of the City Council," Coogan wrote in the ordinance that would eliminate the board.

"I never intended the audit committee to be investigative committee," Coogan said.

Councilwoman Carla Bucholz said she also had reservations about the committee.

"I have some very specific concerns about an audit committee who would like to have complete, unbridled access to any and all and everything in our governmental body," Bucholz said.

In place of the audit committee, Coogan said he wanted to make the city's annual financial audit more open to public comment by holding a public workshop when it is released, a move he said would make the process more transparent. That way, residents could comment on the review and have input on ways it could be improved.

The ordinance that would essentially scuttle the committee will be introduced at a council meeting tonight but will not be discussed until a January meeting. A separate measure bringing the Audit Committee's charter before the council for approval will be discussed tonight, but several councilmembers said they are unsure whether it will come up for a vote.

Glen Runyon, who was appointed to the audit committee by Lenfant, said the issues turned up by the state Legislative Auditor showed the need for in-depth reviews of city business. The move to eliminate the committee made it appear officials had "something to hide," Runyon said.